Q. I have a Fuji S5000 camera with 10x zoom lens. Is a telephoto converter lens available so you can zoom in more? My wife will be taking pictures of animals in Tanzania and we don't know how close she will be able to get.
--J.C., San Francisco
A. The $229 Fuji TL-FX9 1.5x converter lens will fit. It can be found online for $149, but don't buy it.
Your camera was introduced in July 2003. Eight years in digital camera terms not only makes your camera a dinosaur, but a really old dinosaur from one of the very early geological periods. It is only 3.2 megapixels, lacks image stabilization, and compared to its contemporaries it rated towards the lower middle of the pack. Get a new camera and relegate the Fuji to backup duty.
A new superzoom camera will produce better-looking images while adding more zoom range, more megapixels, image stabilization, and high definition video capability. The Fuji Finepix S1800 sells for $169, a mere $20 more than the converter lens. The S1800 isn't a class leader, but it will perform much better than your S3000 with an extension lens for about the same price, and you will own two cameras. Going up to $250 gets something far better such as the Panasonic DMC-FZ35, Pentax X90, Canon SX210IS or the Kodak Z981.
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System of the week: I call this week's system "British Invasion" in homage to the years when British pop music came to America, and because it uses gear from U.K. companies almost exclusively. They are crazy about hi-fi in the U.K. and it shows in their excellent enthusiast publications and their great audio equipment, which combines good sound with "Britishness" that sets it apart from competitors in somewhat of the same way an Aston Martin or a Jaguar is different from a BMW, Lexus or Cadillac.
The Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 bookshelf speakers are the basis of this system. They combine crisp, warm, luxurious sound with beautiful curved cabinets that look and feel expensive. They list for $350 per pair. Put them on speaker stands from Sanus, about $35. http://www.soundimport.com
Powering them is the Cambridge Audio Topaz SR10 stereo receiver, $499. It provides a potent 85 watts per channel, a high quality tuner, a phono input and of course, great style and workmanship. If you do not need a tuner get the Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10 integrated amplifier for $349. www.cambridgeaudio.com
A British-themed hi-fi system would not be complete without a turntable, the component the U.K. is best known for. Rega is a storied British turntable manufacturer known for value, and their excellent new RP1 turntable comes complete for only $445. www.rega.co.uk
Playing CDs is the Onkyo DXC390 six-disc changer, $149. I recommend Japanese here because British CD players start at $350 and I do not see the value compared to the excellent Onkyo, which provides the usefulness of a changer with fine sound quality at less than half the price. www.onkyousa.com
Put it all on a $95 Sanus AFA audio rack and you're all done. At a bit over $1,500 the system isn't exactly cheap, but it is complete and represents good value. Much like buying a luxury automobile, you get great performance with style and panache that more common offerings simply can't match.
